Gingerbread for Church

I had asked Stockton to send me a picture of this shirt so I could send it to Cori. She bought it for him. He says this is the shirt he gets the most compliments on.

Stockton

Kanani had our Sunday school class over to her house for a gingerbread party. We invited my class last year since they didn't get a party because of covid. I made the houses and Kanani had a perfect place for them to decorate. Usually we just do this in the kitchen at the church, but we had too many people to fit. I met the kids in the lobby and we caravanned over to Kanani's. It was absolutely perfect.

The kids naturally split into a boy table and a girl table

The girls....and Monson

The boys....

Eliza

Ava

Emma or Hannah

Maisy

Emma or Hannah

Olivia

Crew

Braxton

Luke

Burke

Let's give Burke's house a closer look. Hahaha

Preston

Aidan

Georgia

Sariah

Mike and I dropped off Crew and then I came back about an hour later with some more houses for Kanani. She was doing a gingerbread party for her family. Her setup was so cute. Definitely more high class then anything I ever do. Haha

Side note. Mike loves his dog.

Side note, side note. Mike is building a giant slide in our garage.

Good Eyes

Jorja got up early and went to breakfast with Paige. When she came back, Mike, Jorja and I all caravanned to the tire store. We dropped off Jorja's car, Mike took the pilot home and Jorja and I took Maysen's car to the eye doctor. I'm glad we were able to get the tires on Jorja's car changed today. It makes me feel much more confident with her having the car up in Logan. Now we can cancel the tire appointment we were going to try and get done in Logan on Saturday. That will be nice. Jorja's eyes are good. Her prescription has changed. Jorja's not 100% confident they got the right prescription. She has some trial contacts to test it out though. We did find out that her nerves didn't change. I guess the nerves are supposed to be perpendicular and Jorja's comes in at an angle. The doctor said all should be well and if any other eye doctor is concerned about her nerves she can let them know that it has been looked into and that is just how she was born. What a relief! That is exactly the news we were hoping for.

Jorja

Jorja's eyes were dilated for awhile. She came home and took a nap in the dark. She drove back to Logan today and made it just fine. We will get to see her again on Saturday. I'm excited about that.

The bishop came over to talk to Mike and I tonight. We are getting new callings. Mike is going to be released as the zoom guy and I will be released as a Sunday school teacher. I'm disappointed to be leaving Kalani though. Our class is great this year too. Mike and I are being called as ward activity leaders. This was a calling that was given years ago before it was discontinued. The bishop said they noticed it was quietly inserted into the handbook that the wards could have one again. The ward council voted unanimously to have one. That is because they have been in charge of the ward activities. Haha. Anyway, I hope Mike and I can do a good job. The key to us doing a good job is everyone in the ward needs to have low expectations. That's what I'm hoping for.

Fricken-Fracken-Dag-Nab-It

Mike, Preston and I went to a fireside tonight for Stake Standards Night. Each of the wards were assigned one of the standards and they had to make a presentation about it. Our ward had gratitude. Some of the videos were so funny. Our favorite was the language one. Jorja's friend Paige was in it, even though I'm pretty sure she is in a different stake. Anyway, it was filmed at Alta and Paige used bad words. She said, "Bleep-bleep-bleep" Her friend told her not to use bad language and that she should use substitute words. Then Paige said, "Fricken-fracken-dag-nab-it!" Then she said, "Woah! Now I feel the spirit!" Hahahaha - it was so funny!

Preston's Story

Preston sent this picture to our family group chat and said, "It was the day I decided to get my picture taken." Hahaha

We also got an email from Alta about Tik Tok. I guess there is some challenge going on where people destroy things. Preston says it is so annoying because all the soap dispensers are broken. They have been remodeling Alta for years and the kids have already destroyed it. Nicely done.

Mike and I got a letter today from a Realtor asking if we wanted to sell our cabin. They had a buyer ready. Nope. We still love it up there.

Stockton got a calling today. He was called to be the ward mission leader. That will keep him pretty busy I'm sure. Sounds like Stockton and Jorja are both doing great up there. I'm so proud of them!

Callister

We got a new bishopric today. Bishop Waddoups, Brother Masters and Brother Tanner have been serving for six years. Today Bishop Callister was called, along with Brother Scott and Brother Liu. The Callisters moved to our ward over the summer so this probably caught them by surprise. Haha!

Preston realized it was pi day and we had not made pies. So, at 9:00 at night he REALLY wanted to make pie. I found a quick mini apple pie recipe and Mike and Preston got to work. It actually turned out delicious.

Random picture of Mike, Jorja, Stephanie

First Zoom

We were able to go back to church today for good! Sort of. We are going to have sacrament meeting every week at 1:00. They asked that everyone tries to make it 50% of the time. They don't want to assign weeks, just try to come according to each families' schedule. We aren't supposed to have more than 100 people at one time, I think. Mike is in charge of doing the zoom for sacrament meeting, so we will be there every week. Right now we do the sacrament meeting with the actual sacrament at the end. The zoom feed is turned off before the sacrament and those watching at home are asked to do the sacrament in their house. The zoom feed went pretty well. There were a few hiccups. Mike didn't see the mute all button and there was one family who didn't mute themselves. Which wasn't a big deal until the wife started to do the dishes during the prayer. Haha. Today was also fast and testimony meeting. Mike got up and shared his testimony. It was really good. He talked about dog racing and how the most important thing is to hold on. That is how life feels like right now, sometimes you just have to hold on. Anyway, it was really good and so nice to be back.

We spent a lot of the day working on cider. Good Sunday activity. The only pictures I have of today are from Jorja's phone. She had a picture of her Ella and Giselle from sometime this week, and her collage of the week picture.

Jorja, Giselle, Ella

Back to Church

We were able to go to church today for the first time since March. It was weird with social distancing and masks. Sacrament bread in little cups with the boys holding two trays so we could throw away the cups in a completely different tray. It was so nice to be back though. Church was only sacrament meeting and it was only 45 minutes, still it was wonderful. Mike, Preston and I went early so we could help sanitize the building. We also helped sanitize it after. There were two different meetings with our ward. We went to the first one. Mike and I were planning on coming back to sanitize the building after the last one as well, but were told we didn't need to come. We get to go to church once in the month of September and October as well. At least it is something!

Bishop Waddoups asked how Stockton was doing. Mike told him about the plates of Elder Smith. He sent him two screen shots as an example. Bishop Waddoups loved it. He says he can tell Stockton has immersed himself in the scriptures, he has the cadence down perfectly. Haha

Jorja is planning on doing a collage for every week of her senior year. Her friend, Seurette did this last year and Jorja loved the idea. Here is her first collage of her senior year.

Giselle painted this on Jorja's car

Brenton and Jake are in our ward and they are both in student government with Jorja. In the student government group chat Jake asked Jorja to come to the church. Brenton was there too. She brought Bear and they hung out for a long time. Too long for my liking. We don't get to see Jorja much, so I was a bit annoyed she left for so long on our family day. I didn't mind for a bit, but look how bright the sky is in the first pictures and how dark it is on the last. I am glad she has such good friends in our ward. Jorja has been the only girl her grade that comes to church for the last few years. I'm glad she is such good friends with the boys.

Jake & Jorja

Bear & Brenton

Brenton & Bear

Jake & Jorja

Watch Party

I had a hard day today. I know it's not a big deal, but it still hurt me a lot. I had relief society today. I went like I always do and was just sitting listening to the lesson. Jorja was asked to be a class president at the beginning of January. They decided to set her apart today. Jorja texted Mike and I around 1:20 to let us know. The problem was, I never received the texts. They never came through. For some reason, about 1:50 I had the random thought that maybe Jorja was getting set apart today. Then immediately I thought, "No, I would have been told." Still, I prayed right then and there that I wouldn't be forgotten and someone would come and get me if it was today. I kept looking at the door. I texted Mike about 5 minutes later and asked if Jorja was getting set apart today. Right when I sent that next about five texts came through from Jorja and Mike talking about it. I jumped up right in the middle of the lesson and ran out of class. I ran to the young women hallway and looked in all the windows. I saw the Bishop and Seth setting apart Quinn. As soon as it was over I went in and asked if Jorja had gone yet. They said yes. I choked out, "Why didn't anyone tell me? I'm going to cry." I rushed out of there (class was over) and hurried out. I cried the rest of the day. I felt so forgotten. That might have been the last time I would get to see Jorja set apart of anything. She leaves in a year and a half. I tried to explain to Mike and Jorja why I was so sad. Why didn't they come and look for me? Mike kept saying that he thought I saw the text and I wasn't able to come for some reason. "What is more likely, the text doesn't come through in a building with a history of texts not coming through, or me seeing the text and not even responding. When have I missed anything for Jorja, ever?" The only time I miss things for her has been when I have been in New Mexico watching Mike's kids. I explained that it would have taken two minutes to check and see if I got the message. Two minutes! I just wasn't worth two minutes. I was devastated. I went down to my mom's grave and laid there for over an hour. I just cried and cried. I am tired of her being gone. She's been gone long enough. I'm sick of it. Anyway, I know that isn't a big deal to anyone but me, but it meant a lot to me and I didn't even get the opportunity to be there.

Jorja's friends came over for tacos tonight. The girls in student government. Bode and Jack also came. They were able to watch the video Mike made for Sweethearts. It was super fun. Jorja posted something on snapchat with all of them together and someone asked if Kelsey was opening her mission call. (Kelsey is a senior, but I think she is 17.) Anyway, they staged a fake missionary call opening for Kelsey. What a bunch of goofballs.

Mud Face

I got a new class in Sunday school today. I'm with Sister Bennett again this year. We have thirteen kids. One of them is Preston! Yay! I got to teach the first lesson and I loved having Preston in there. Last year the class was mostly boys and it was a challenge. This year the class is mostly girls and it looks like it will be a lot less stressful.

Mike and I booked a hotel room for Maysen's graduation in April. We got a room at the University Inn, which is right smack dab in the middle of campus. Right next to the TSC. I think that will be fun to stay there. I'm glad we got our room so early. There weren't many rooms left. Wow!

Jorja tried the Dead Sea mud mask today. I sent these pictures to Rachel. Rachel loves that stuff!

Jorja

Maysen is enjoying her new roommate Me'lani. She also is excited to give belly rubs to her dog Penny. Looking like this is going to be a great semester for her.

New Ducks

Marie has to get shots every other week. She has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Poor girl. Not getting enough sleep, dancing all day yesterday, eating sugar and dairy have not helped her this week at all.

Rachel & Marie

 Church ~ Stephanie and Grace

Mike has been talking to a duck rescue person. He told her if she came across a girl pekin duck that he would love to take care of it. While we were at church he got this text from her and was quite excited. She came this afternoon and brought two new girl ducks. We let Maysen and Jorja name them, since Preston's duck is Quacky Chan. Jorja named her duck Angel. She was deciding between Angel and Kiki before, and now Kiki is an Angel. Maysen named her duck Cream. Maysen's duck has a hole in his foot. Poor little duckie.

 Cream, Quacky Chan, Angel

 Behind the duckhouse

Scoop and Cori came over after church and brought presents! Bubs and his family and Matt and his family came over for dinner. My dad brought lasagna. It was delicious. We had fun. We ate. The kids played together. We played games. My dad even brought cake for my birthday! Well, a big cookie and brownie. I didn't expect that and was so surprised!

Eve, Brett, Grace, Marie

I had four gingerbread houses waiting for Brett's girls. They had a great time!

 Marie ~ she made a Great Wolf Lodge cabin, complete with waterslide!

 Mina

 Grace

 Eve

I couldn't find pictures of Eve for some reason, so I took a screen shot of Eve from this video Brett sent me. Haha.

Birthday cake!